A question for police officers

[Drache]

Im currently in a debate on another forum and would like the input of Law Enforcement Officers.

The argument is about one guy (non-military, non-LEO) who believes it's his right and duty to carry a non-restricted weapon (In this case a Remington 870 Shotgun) in his vehicle 24/7 just in case he comes upon an armed person robbing a bank or a store. (This is not about personal protection but protecting other people that you come across)

He states that it's his duty to CONFRONT said armed robber (as a lawful firearms owner) with his firearm and if need be shoot and kill said robber if he believes he's protecting people's lives and if the robber shoots at him. He figures that at least he would "slow the robber down" by pointing a gun at him until the police arrive. He also seems to think that he could easily shoot said robber even if the robber was moving and hit him 100% of the time without any sort of collateral damage.

My standing is that it is not his duty to do so and confronting an armed person when not properly trained to do so could result in injury or death of any innocent people such as store/bank patrons. I told him that if he wants that "duty" to join a Law Enforcement Agency.

What are your views on this? Should a citizen armed with a firearm get themselves involved by confronting an armed robber? Do you see it as helpful or causing more problems than helping?

[Apollo]

You know, sometimes I think we're becoming more and more like Americans each day. The "American" "stupid" mentality is really shinning these days.

[Dave Brown]

Your friend is an idiot and this is a stupid debate.

Show me one place that specifies his "rights" or his "duties" in any way. The last thing one needs is to turn an armed robbery into a gunfight. Somebody is going to get shot; bad guy, good guy, bystander ... whatever. It's only money. It's insured. Nobody should die because of this.

If you ask the professionals who DO carry guns for a living what they would do if they were in plainclothes and caught in the middle of an armed robbery, they would say WITHOUT EXCEPTION "keep my mouth shut and be the best witness I can."

(Well, except for Jim Street. He would answer, "Kick the shit out of Chuck Norris." If you ask him why, he would say, "Because I can.")

In my life, and in my career as a professional firearms instructor, I have lived by one basic principle - people who really really love guns this much should be the last ones to ever have one.

This debate is over.